Instrument mounting device



1961 c. T. TORRESEN 2,969,214

INSTRUMENT MOUNTING DEVICE v Filed March 31, 1959 IN V EN TOR.

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Aflam/5% INSTRUMENT MOUNTING DEVICE Care] T. Torresen, 'Santa Monica, Calif., assignor to The National Utilities Corporation, Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California 'Filed Mar. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 80`3,174

8 Claims. (Cl. 248-27) This invention relates to means for mounting an instrument in an instrument panel, and more particularly to a novel band type clamping device constructed and arranged to be mounted on the rear of an instrument panel to hold the instrument securely in position against the effects of shock and vibraton.

Many widely varied types of instrument mounts have been devised in the past to accomplish this purpose and have been reasonably successful. However they have suffered from various drawbacks aliecting their cost or performance. Some have been devised with large numbers of small and delicate parts requiring extreme precision manufacture, making them diflicnlt and expensive to produce. Others have been simple in Construction but not well adapted to do the work demanded of them.

r Instrument mounts of the type under consideration are required to securely grip a cylindrical instrument case securely about substantially its entire periphery and for a substantial length in the direction of the axis of the instrument case. The action which produces the clamping must also pull the mount into position securely behind an instrument panel to hold the case in a position with the face thereof substantially flush with the front face of the panel. It must remain firm and secure when subjected to widely varying frequencies of vibration. In addition it must be so constructed and arranged that a very few turns, usually four, of the screw or other securing means will grip the instrument case tightly or release it for free withdrawal.

The present invention accomplishes all of these results in a highly satisfactory manner. In general the device comprises a circular or cylindrical band of thin, spring-like material, split to provide two opposing free ends which are to be drawn toward each other to constrict the band about an instrument case. provided at a point diametrically opposite the splitand adjacent that edge of the band which is to contact the rear face of the instrument case. A threaded core is provided in the ear to receive a mounting screw.

The constricting means includes a pair of links, one of which is pivotally connected at one end to each of the free ends of the band. The opposite end of each link is generally L-shaped or hook shaped, having a tip laterally extending toward the other. A saddle is movably mounted on and between the links and has a pair of laterally extending toward the other. A saddle is movbrace the outer edges of the links and serve as movable fulcrum means. The saddle is further provided with an abutment in engagement with the tips of the links.

When the saddle is moved longitudinally in a direction parallel to the aXis of the band, the abutmentforces the tips to move longitudinally. In doing so they must swing outwardly with respect to their pivot mountings. Since the fulcrums prevent the mid-portions of the links from separating, the net result is that the pivotally mounted ends move inwardly toward each other and constrict the band. The general assembly is completed by a sec- An ear is i ond mounting screw which passes thru the panel and engages in a threaded bore in the abutment. When the screw is turned home it draws thre saddle toward the panel and constricts the band. Because of the unique construction it also pulls the linkage assembly and thus the band tightly against the rear face of the panel.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the instrument mounting clamp with the mounting and adjusting screw omitted for clarity;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the clamp mounted in an instrument panel and holding an instrument case securely in position;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the clamp mounted in a panel with the instrument caes omitted, the linkage being in a loose or non-clamping position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the linkage being in a tightened or clamping position;

Figure 5 is a front elevational View of one of the links drawn to an enlarged scale; and

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the saddle drawn to an enlarged scale.

The Construction and mounting of the clamp are illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The clamp 10 is shown mounted to the rear face of instrument panel 12 which is provided with an opening 14 through which instrument case 16 is passed to fit within the band clamp. An ear 18 is riveted or otherwise secured to the clamp at a point diametrically opposed to the constricting linkage and is provided with a threaded bore 20 to receive mounting screw 22.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 3, the band is split to provide two free ends 24 and 26. A link 28 is secured to end 24 by a rivet to provide a pivoted connection 30, and link 32 is secured to end 26 by a similar pivoted connection 34. The opposite ends are L-shaped or hook shaped and terminate in tips 36 and 38 extending laterally toward each other. In the free position of Figure 3, the mid-portions of the outer edges of the links extend substantially parallel to each other and the lower portions opposite the tips are formed as diverging cam surfaces 40 and 42.

A saddle 44 of heavy sheet stock is located between the band and the links. It has two Wings provided at their outer ends with laterally spaced ears or reversely bent portions 46 and 48. These ears embrace the outer edges of the links 28 and 32 and constitute movable fulcrurns therefor. The saddle is provided further with a radially outwardly extending flange forming an abutment 50 which directly contacts the inwardly and upwardly extending tips 36 and 38. A second fiange 52 is formed at the upper edge of the saddle. These flanges are provided with threaded bores 54 and 56 to receive a second mounting screw 58 which also operates as an adjusting or tightening screw. The threads in the two bores are out of phase just sufficiently to serve in combination as a lock nut.

It will now be seen that when screw 58 is turned home it will draw saddle 44 downwardly. The abutment 50 presses down on tips 36 and 38 which move downwardly v and outwardly with respect to pivotal connections 30 and 34. The fulcrums or ears 46 and 48 prevent outward movement of the mid-points of the links, and hence the pivoted ends of the links are constrained to move inwardly toward each other, moving the free ends of the bands together a corresponding amount, thus clamping the instrument case.

As the saddle moves downwardly, the fulcrums move with it along the outer edges of the links. As the saddle approaches the limit of its movement the fulcruns engage the cam surfaces 40 and 42 to increase the toggle action to assure a firm grip on the instrument case. This position of the parts is illustrated in Figure 4.

The down load on tips 36 and 38 and on cam surfaces 40 and 4 2 draws the linkage assembly down and pulls the band itself into firm contact with the rear face of the instrument panel 12. Titus the instrument case is tightly gripped by the. band and the bandin turn is tightly held against the rear face of the instrumentpanel. The ears 50 and 52; serve as a lock nut to prevent loosening of the screw 53. The net result is that the entire, assembly is securely retained against Shock and vibration of all sorts. When the screw 53 is retracted as little as four turns the saddle moves upwardly oti the cam surfaces, releasing the band which springs outwardly to release the instrument case for withdrawal.

It will be apparent to those skilled in' the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the construction disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is intended that all such changes and modifications shall be embraced within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

l. A mounting for securing an instrument to an instrument panel having a cut-out to expose the instrument,. comprising: a circular band split to provide two opposing free ends movable toward each other to embrace the instrument and adapted to be mounted on the rear of the panel; a pair of toggle links, each having one end pivotally attached to a free end of said band; the opposite ends of said links being L-shaped with lateral tips extending toward each other; a saddle provided with laterally spaced reversely bent ears to embrace the outer edges of said links and slidably mount the saddle thereon; an abutment on said saddle to contact said tips and force them in a desired direction to cause said links to fulcrum about their points of contact with said ears and move said pivoted ends toward each other to constrict the band around an instrument; and means to engage said saddle to move it in said desired direction.

2. A mounting :tor securing an instrument to an instrument panel having a cut-out to expose the instrument, comprising: a circular band split to provide two opposing free ends movable toward each other to embrace the instrument and adapted to be mounted on the rear of the panel; a link pivotally mounted at one end on each of the free ends of said band; the free end of each link having a tipextending laterally toward the other; a saddle provided with laterally spaced reversely bent cars to embrace. the outer edges of said links and serve as movable fulcrums therefor; an abutment on said saddle to contact said' tips and force them in a direction parallel to the axis of said band; the movement of said tips causing said links to fulcrum about their points of contact with said cars and move the pivoted ends of said links and hence the free ends' of said band toward each other to clamp an instrument; and means to engage said saddle to move it parallel to the axis of said band.

3. A mounting as claimed in claim 2 in which the outer edges of said links are provided with diverging cam surfaces approximately opposite said tips to increase the toggle effect as said saddle approaches the limit of its movement.

4. A mounting for securing an instrument in an instru ment panel having a cut-out to expose the instrument, comprising: a circular band split to provide two opposing free ends movable toward each other to embrace the instrument; a pair of links, each having a first end pivotally attached to a respective one of said free ends; a saddle carried by said links and movable in a direction parallel to the axis of said band, said saddle having a movable fulc'um contact, with each of said links along loci intermediate their first and second ends; an abutment on said saddle to contact the second ends of said links to cause them to pivot about the fulcrum points and draw the pivoted ends together to constrict the band about an instrument; and means to move the saddle along its path of movement.

5. A mounting for securing an instrument to an instrument panel comprsing: a circular band split to provide two opposing free ends movable toward each other to embrace an instrument; a pivoted link secured to each of said free ends; a member engaging said links at fulcrum points intermediate their ends and movable in a direction parallel to the axis of said band. to rotate said links about said fulcrum points and move them toward each other and constrict said band; and actuating means connected to said member to move it in, said direction.

6. A mounting for securing an instrument in an instrument panel having a cut-out to expose the instrument,

comprising: a circular, band split to provide two opposing free ends movable toward each other to embrace the instrument; a link pivotally attached to each of said ends; the free end of each link having a tip extending laterally toward the other; a saddle slidably mounted between the band' and said? links and having laterally spaced fulcrum means engaging the outer ends of said links; a pair of flanges extending radially outwardly from said saddle and adapted to receive a fastening device to move said saddle toward the panel enging edge of said band; one of said anges contacting said tips to pivot said links around the fulcrum means and constrict said band; said movement of said saddle also. serving to draw the linkage and the band toward said panel.

7. Amounting as claimed in claim 6, said' flanges having threaded bores to receive a fastening and adjusting screw, the threads in said bores. being out of phase just sutficicntly to serve in combination as a lock nut.

8. A mounting for securing an instrument to an instrument panel having a cut-out to expose the instrument, comprising: a circular band split to provide two opposing free ends movable toward each other to embrace the instrument; an ear mounted to said band diamctrically opposte said free ends and adjacent, the panel-Contacting edge of said band; said ear being adapted to receive a fastener for attaching it to the rear of said panel; a single pair of toggle links pivotally connected one to each of said free ends but free of connection to each other; a saddle movable parallel to the aXis of said band andslidabl engaging said links to force their pivoted ends toward each other to constrict said band about an instrument; and i means' to engage said saddle to urge it toward said panel;

the engagement of said saddle with said links forcing said band into intimate engagement with said panel.

References cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,l00,604 Kollsman Nov. 30, 1937 i 2,6l6,644-' Christopherson Nov. 4, 1952 2,684,221 Wollam July 20, 1954 

